College World Series - Day 5: UM loses to Stanford 8-3 and is eliminated from the CWS

What's up gang,

Back at Rosenblatt ready to cover this must-win game for the U against Stanford. Another pretty much sunny day in Omaha. I wish I could send it your way, I hear from Manny that it's been pouring all day in Miami.

I'll be here for the next 4 hours watching every pitch with you and ready to talk Canes, high schools, movies, Omaha, food, drinks, UM rivals, (OK DRE, FOCUS!)

Anyway, Miami is the designated road team. They are 3-0 in the playoffs as the visitors on the scoreboard.

Stanford pulls a switcheroo on who they start. The Cardinal will go with right-handed freshman Danny Sandbrink, who is 2-1, with a 2.85 ERA in 19 appearances, which includes 5 starts. His other numbers (1 CG, 53 2/3 IP, 54 H, 20 R, 17 ER, 18 BB, 27 Ks, .262 opp. avg.).

Stanford has four solid home run hitters (CF Sean Ratliff 21, C Jason Castro 14, 2B Cord Phelps 13, and 1B Brent Milleville 11). Garcia has given up the fewest of any UM starter with 2.

Changes in UM's lineup, Jason Hagerty will start as DH, after coming as a PH for struggling Dave DiNatale in the FSU win. Hagerty came through with a 2-run single that drove what ended up being the game-winning runs. The order: 1. Tekotte, 2. Weeks, 3. Alonso, 4. Sobolewski, 5. Jackson, 6. Severino, 7. Raben, 8. Hagerty, 9. Grandal.

Well, I'll be here and back after 1st pitch with updates. In the meantime, feel free to chat away. For continuous updates during the game, visit www.ncaasports.com.

1st inning - UM 1, Stanford 0: Tekotte and Weeks set the table again with infield singles (Weeks' a great bunt between 3rd and the mound), and Sobolewski drove in Tekotte on a sac fly. Inning could have been more productive had Alonso not struck out and Jackson lined out to left. Stanford threatened with singles by Cord Phelps and Jason Castro, but Garcia worked out of it with three fly ball outs, including another solid defensive play in right by Raben.

2nd inning - UM 1, Stanford 0: Hagerty drew a walk, but was left on as the Cardinal 2B Phelps made a tough play on a Grandal grounder. An error by Weeks did not prove costly as Garcia got Jones and Schlander to pop up.

3rd inning - Stanford 2, UM 1: UM blows an opportunity to tack on a run. Tekotte walked and reach third on sac bunt by Weeks and a wild pitch. But Alonso and Sobolewski struck out in succession. Phelps led off the bottom half with a double to left. August singled to center. Castro drove him in with an infield single to short. But more damage was saved by the Mohawk. Dennis Raben with another diving web gem in right field.

4th inning - Stanford 3, UM 1: UM is not hitting. Raben got hit by a pitch after a fly out by Jackson and a ground out by Severino. Hagerty then stranded him with another fly out. Cardinal added a run on a walk drawn by Zach Jones and a bloop single by Joey August. Garcia struck out Castro looking to end the inning.

5th inning - Stanford 7, UM 1: Yasmani Grandal and Tekotte each walked. Weeks, however, popped up a bunt attempt and Alonso struck out for the third time in the game. Sobolewski followed suit to kill UM's best scoring threat since the 1st. The big hits came from Sean Ratliff, who blasted a 2-run shot off Garcia. Anthony Nalepa entered the game. After an error and a single by Jake Schlander, Phelps hit a 2-run triple to center that Tekotte almost caught diving.

6th inning - Stanford 8, Miami 1: Raben hits into a double play. Stanford's Toby Gerhart doubled off Iden Nazario to extend the lead as UM empties its bullpen for the first time in the playoffs. Rene Guerra gets them out of the inning with a strikeout. Yasmani Grandal blasts a solo shot to center field.

7th inning - Stanford 8, Miami 2: Weeks got hit by a pitch and Alonso broke out of the funk with a single. But once again a golden opportunity wasted as Sobolewski flies out to right. After a leadoff walk, 3 up, 3 down for Guerra.

8th inning - Stanford 8, Miami 3: Three straight singles by Jackson, Severino and Raben got the UM fans here excited. But only one run scored on a sac fly by Hagerty. Grandal and Tekotte then struck out. 3 up, 3 down for Guerra, who's looked good for someone that hasn't pitched in a month.

Final - Stanford 8, Miami 3: Another promising inning ends like a promising season. Weeks walked, Alonso doubled, but closer Drew Storen got Sobolewski to pop up to first, Jackson to strike out and then snared a line drive from Severino (a play that should make Sportscenter) to end UM's season.